Reel for check-row corn-planters



(No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. L. MENEPEE. REEL FOR CHECK ROW CORN PLANTERS.

No; 415,464. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

A WITNESSES: M/VE/VTOR 0.7% j'mnkzliz 13.12am so.

ATTORNEY N. PETERS. Plwt lilhuglaphln WaIhinglclL n c (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. L. MENEFEE. REEL FOR CHECK ROW CORN PLANTERS. No. 415,464. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

//V V 5 IV 70/? Evin/W17: Z, W6??? ee ATTORNEY W/T/VESSES' UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

FRANKLIN L. MENEFEE, OF A'URELIA, IOlVA.

REEL FOR CHECK-ROW CORN-PLANTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,464, dated November 19, 1889.

Application filed August 9, 1889. Serial No. 320,279. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN L. MENEFEE, residing at Aurelia, in the county of (herokee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Row Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to a reel for unwinding or taking up the checkwire and means for automatically shifting the wire as it is wound upon the reel.

To this end my invention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, all of which will hereinafterbe fully described in the annexed specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of the truckframe of a check-row corn-planter with my improvements in position. Fig.2 is an elevation of the reel and wire-shifting devices. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the same. Fig. "l: is a longitudinal section of the reel. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same 011 the line 5 5, Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the reel-supporting bar and its bearing-box, and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of modifications hereinafter referred to.

In the practical construction of my inventionI journal myimproved reel upon atransverse bar mounted to rotate in the rear end of the truck-frame of a check-row cornplanter, said bar being preferably the markerbar, the drawings and the description in the present case specifically referring to a novel construction of marker which forms the subj ect-matter of a separate application filed April 6, 1889, Serial No. 306,263.

In order to more clearly describe and illustrate my present invention, I have illustrated the means shown in the aforesaid application for operating the marker-bar.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the main frame, which is mounted upon the drive-wheels I3 B in the usual manner.

C denotes a gear-wheel secured upon the inner face of the hub of one of the drivewheels B,which engages a gear D on the outer end of a short shaft E, mounted in the frame out of operative position.

A, and which is provided at its inner end with a double bevel-gear F, which meshes with a similar gear G upon one end of the longitudinal shaft II, mounted in the frame A, as shown. Upon one end of this shaft is mounted a sliding gear 6, which when ad justed for operation engages an idler-gear (Z,

journaled upon the frame, with which en:

gages a gear c upon a shaft a, mounted in the frame near one of the rear ends, as shown.

The rear ends of the sidebeams of the frame are extended, as at' A A and form bearings A" for circular disks L L, held to 1'0- tate in said bearings, which are each provided with a central squared aperture L L, in which the marker-bar K is held to slide. Each of the disks L L is provided with a collar L on its outer face and a bevel-gear L on its inner face, by means of which theyare prevented from lateral movement in their bearings. One of said bevel-gears meshes with a bevelgear I) on the outer end of the short shaft a, and from it receives the motion whereby the marker-bar or reel-supporting bar K is'revolved. Each of the disks L L is also provided with lateral extensions or sockets L L which form additional bearings for the bar K, and also serve to automatically raise. the marking devices when said bar is used as amarker.

Before specifically describing my improved reel and wire-shif ting devices I will state that when the said bar is used as a marker-bar the marking devices are supported at the ends of said bar, said devices being preferably constructed in the manner shown and described in my other application referred to, and when said bar is to be used as a support for the reel the marking devices are held up I would further state that the said marker-bar may be rcciprocated in its bearings to either side of the machine, and to hold same from revolving when it is desired to shift said bar from side to side I provide one of the collars L with a recess 12, with which engages a gravity-pawl ll pivoted to the frame, as most clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

f denotes the reel, which consists of the hub portion g, provided with a central squared aperture h, and the reel portion '1',

which fits on the hub portion, as shown ,in Fig. 4; ,The hub g extends laterally to each side of the reel, as at g g.

j j denote spring-plates secured at one end to the sides of the reel 1', which pass over and embrace the hub-sections g g, and have their outer ends adjustably connected by means of the thumb-screw 7c", the object of providing said spring-plates appearing farther on.

In adjusting the reel in position the same is slid onto the bar K and held thereto by means of the set-screw on passing through a lip or projection on on the hub-section and engaging the bar K.

N denotes the automatic device for moving the'wire into proper position while it is being wound upon the reel. Said device consists of a skeleton frame N, which is detachably secured to either of the end projections A A of the frame, in which is mounted a vertical shaft 12, provided with a bevel-gear n at its lower end, adapted to engage the bevel-gear L on one of the disks L, said frame and shaft being suitably braced in position by the bar 0,as shown.

0 denotes a bracket projected laterally from the frame N, in which is journaled a gear-wheel P, which meshes with a worm Q, on the shaft n. Disposed in front of the gearwheel P and adapted to reciprocate backward and forward in bearings formed by a bracket .9 on the frame N, and in outwardly-projecting arms t t secured thereto, isa rod S, which is provided with a projecting stud S, adapted to engage with a cam-groove R in the front face of the gear-wheel P.

The outer end of the rod S is connected to a swinging arm U, pivoted to a circular bracket T, fixed on the outer ends of the arms 15 t, the lower end of which is forked at U U and provided with friction-rollers u, as shown. The lower end engages the wire in a manner clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

V denotes a brace-rod provided with a forked rear end 1, which engages the rod K when the strain of said rod is forward, the forward end of said arm engaging the frame, as shown. The rod V is also provided with a loop 1* at said end, which engages the bar K when the strain is in a rearward direction.

\Vhen the reel is adjusted in position to take up the wire, the end of the wire will be passed over the reel and secured thereto. Now when the planter travels in a forward direction the intermediate gearing devices will be revolved by the wheel B and the cog-wheel U in the direction indicated by the arrows, thereby revolving the disks L L and the bar K, which in turn will revolve the reel in the rearward direction and thereby take up the wire. During this operation the wire-shifting devices will be operated by the bevelgear L on the disk L and cause the swing ing' arm U to gradually move back and forth in front of the reel and shift the wire, so that the same will be evenly wound on the reel.

It will of course be understood that the several gearing devices are so adjusted in relation to each other that the reel will revolve at the proper speed to gradually take up the wire during the continued movement of the planter. The shifting devices are also so adj usted that they will feed back and forth as the wire fills up on the reel in layers. As the wire fills up the reel and one layer has been wound thereon, it will be observed that the mean diameter of the reel will have been increased and that the wire will then wind up at a faster speed. As it, however, is necessary that the same should always wind thereon atthe same degree of speed, I form the reel of two sections or portions, as before stated. 7 V 7 By the said construction of reel it will be seen that should the wire exert any increased tension on the reel the reel portion proper will slip backward on the hub portion and thereby equalize the take-up speed of the reel. The friction of the reel on the hub portion may be adjusted by the springplates jj.

When it is desired to unwind the wire to place same in position in the field, the sliding gear 6 is slid out of operative position, and the reel is inserted .onthe rod K, so the wire will feed out from the under side thereof. When the reel is adjusted in this position, the strain of the bar will be rearward and the brace-bar V will, be hooked over the bar, as before stated, to relieve the said bar from strain.

It will be understood that the reel andthe wire-shiftil'lg devices may be adjusted to operate on either side of the machine.

In adjusting my improvements to aplanterframe of ordinary construction I provide detachable metal bearings A, which are secured to the frame A in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and which form the bearings for the circular disks L. hen I employ the said metal bearings, I also prefer to construct the wire-shifting devices in such a manner that the circular braeketT will be disposed horizontally over the Wire reel, as clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation and advantages of my improvement will be readily understood. It will be seen that the same may readily be adjusted to the truckframes of corn-planters, and that the opera tion thereof is exceedingly simple and effect ive for its desired purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with a bar mounted to rotate in the main or truck frame of a checkrow corn-planter, said bar extended to one side of said frame, and the intermediate gearing mechanism between said bar and one of ITS the drive-wheels, of a reel adapted to be slid onto said extension to revolve therewith, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with a bar held to rotate in the truck-frame of a check-row cornplanter, one end of said bar projected to one side of the frame, and means for rotating said bar, of a reel detachably held on said extended portion of the bar to turn therewith and a brace-bar secured at one end to the main frame, its opposite end arranged to engage the outer end of the reel-holding bar, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

3. The combination, with a bar held to 1'0- tate in the truck-frame of a corn-planter and means for rotating said bar, said bar extended to one side of the frame, of a reel mounted on said extension to turn therewith, a wire-shifting device mounted on the frame and operating to the front of the reel, and intermediate gearing between the reel-bar and the said shifting devices, whereby said devices are operated substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination, with the main frame, the wheels B B, revolving bearing-disks L L, mounted in the ends A A of the frame, said disks provided with transverse squared apertures, intermediate gearing devices between one of said disks and one of the drive-wheels for revolving said disks, and a marking-bar held to slide transversely in said disks and adapted to be projected to either side of the machine, of the reel f, consisting of an apertured hub adapted to fit upon the extended end of the marking-bar, and a reel portion 1', fitted upon the hub portion, and f riction-plates jj, secured to the hub and reel sections for adjusting the frictional contact of said parts, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, with the main frame A, the drive-wheels B B, the revolving disks L L, journaled in the rear ends of the frame, having transverse apertures, said disks provided with bevel-gears L L intermediate gearing devices, substantially as shown, between one of the gears L and one of the drivewheels, and the marking-bar held to slide in said disks L L, said bar adapted to slide to either side of the machine, of a reel mounted on the extended end of the bar and adapted to revolve therewith, and automatic wireshifting devices operating in front of the reel, adapted to shift the wire back and forth in front of the reel during winding, said device mounted on the frame and provided with a gear engaging one of the gears L whereby said devices are operated, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

6. The combination, with the main frame, the revolving disks L L mounted therein, provided with gears L L means, substantially as shown, for revolving said disks, the markerbar K, held in said disks and adapted to he slid to either side of the machine, and the wire-reel f, mounted on the said bar K and adapted to revolve therewith, of the wireshifting attachments, consisting of a frame N, detachably mounted 011 the frame, a vertical shaft or, mounted in said frame N, provided with a worm Q and a bevel-gear engaging one of the gears L on the disks, a cogwheel P, j ournaled in the frame N, meshing with the worm Q, said wheel provided with a cam'groove, a reciprocating shaft S, journaled in the frame N, provided with a stud S, engaging the cam-groove, and a swinging arm U, pivoted at its upper end to the frame, connected below its pivot with the shaft S, the lower end depending in front of the reel and provided with forked arms, all arranged substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

7. The combination, with the frame A, the revolving disks L L, the intermediate gear devices between said disks and one of the drive-wheels, said disks provided with transverse apertures, the marker-bar K, held to slide in said disks, and the reel f, mounted on the extended end of the said bar, of the bracerod V, provided with a forked end 1; and a loop v, adapted to engage the end of the bar K, its opposite end adapted for connection with the frame A, substantially as and for the purpose described.

FRANKLIN L. MENEFEE.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. MoGovERN, ROBERT MENEFEE. 

